Program Overview
Organized by Travel For Teens and SHA Bryn Mawr, this Italian cultural immersion will have you discovering the best of Italy’s mouthwatering cuisine, awe-inspiring art, charming villas and vineyards, fascinating history and ruins, and renowned shopping.
Our first stop is Venice – a dreamlike city of bridges and canals unlike any other in the world. Then it’s off to Florence – a Renaissance city home to Michelangelo’s David, the famous leather markets, and the world-famous Uffizi art gallery. Climb to the top of the Duomo for a breathtaking view of the whole city, and of course, no trip to Italy would be complete without undertaking TFT’s famous gelato challenge!
Next, we’ll explore the Cinque Terre – often referred to as the Italian Riviera, this region is home to five idyllic fishing villages with pastel-colored houses perched on dramatic cliffs that plunge into the crystal-blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
Our final stop will have us stepping back in time to Ancient Rome, where we will discover the Colosseum and Roman Forum, and wander through medieval Italy in Trastevere after spending our morning in the Vatican City.
This program is open to SHA Bryn Mawr students. There are a limited number of spaces for the trip which are available on a first come first serve basis.
During this trip, you will…
- Discover the real Venice at a local glass-blowing workshop in Murano
- Guarantee your return to Rome with a coin tossed into the Trevi Fountain
- Hike along the idyllic Italian coast while marveling at the pastel-painted fishing towns nestled along the cliffs in the Cinque Terre
- Stroll across the famous Ponte Vecchio and experience the Renaissance city of Florence
- Wander through the vast interior of St. Peter’s Basilica and stare in awe at Michelangelo’s masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel
- Discover the ancient ruins and marvel at the Colosseum in Rome
- Climb the Duomo for incredible views of Florence
- Explore local neighborhoods of Rome in search of the best artisan pizza
Trip Itinerary
DAY 1: DEPART FROM THE USA
Group flight departs for Milan!
DAY 2: BENVENUTI IN ITALIA!
Upon arrival in Milan, you’ll be greeted by your TFT Counselors at the airport. We’ll hop on our transfer and head towards Verona, the hometown of Romeo and Juliet. After a stop for lunch, we’ll continue on to Venice, a dreamlike city of bridges and canals unlike any other in the world! Once in Venice, we’ll head right out for a walking tour to get to know the city. You’ll be amazed at the splendor of the Grand Canal lined with crumbling, decadent palaces. We will wander the city’s tangled streets, marveling at the colors and reflections that only Venice can offer and the iconic St. Mark’s Basilica in the central square. We’ll end our first day in Italy with a delicious authentic Italian meal at one of our favorite local restaurants in the city!
DAY 3: GONDOLAS AND CANALS
Head out this morning on a Vaporetto ride over to the island of Murano, the center of the ancient glassmaking industry, and get a first-hand look at an authentic Venetian glassblowing workshop. Have lunch in the iconic St. Mark Square before heading back out for afternoon options of visiting the world-famous Peggy Guggenheim Collection or the Ducal Palace. We’ll round out the day with a quintessential Gondola ride through the canals, taking in all the sights and sounds from a new perspective. Have one last dinner in Venice, and get ready to head to Florence in the morning!
DAY 4: RENAISSANCE CITY
After breakfast and check-out from our Venice hotel, we’ll make our way to Florence by train. Upon arrival, we’ll check into our hotel and set out to explore the Renaissance city! We’ll climb the Duomo to see the incredible view over Florence and check out l’Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David.
After an action packed day, we will enjoy our first Florentine dinner. Leave room for dessert, because after dinner we’ll set out on TFT’s world famous gelato tour!
DAY 5: FLORENCE -> CINQUE TERRE
After breakfast at our hotel, we’ll head out to our morning tour of the Uffizi, which houses the best collection of Italian Renaissance art in the world. Have lunch in the Mercato Centrale before some free time to shop in the famous Mercado San Lorenzo leather market.
We’ll check out of our hotel and head to the station to catch our train Cinque Terre. When we arrive, we’ll check into our hotel in the seaside village of Monterosso and head down to the beach for an afternoon of sand, sun, and swimming! We’ll enjoy a delicious pizza dinner before competing in our famous photo scavenger hunt around Monterosso.
DAY 6: EXPLORE CINQUE TERRE
Our day begins with breakfast at our hotel, followed by a hike along the UNESCO heritage coastline of Cinque Terre(with a train option for non-hikers). The Cinque Terre is known for its spectacular hiking trails that connect the towns and we will have the opportunity to hike them for ourselves! On the hike, we will enjoy spectacular views of the sea and the vineyards that line the cliffs and be inspired by the natural beauty in this region.
We’ll savor lunch in one of the charming villages, and in the afternoon, we’ll head to Manarola for some swimming. The day concludes with dinner back in Monterosso.
DAY 7: THE ETERNAL CITY
This morning we’ll catch a train to our final destination of Rome! As the city streets buzz with antiquity around every corner, you’ll be in awe as we transport ourselves thousands of years back in time while exploring the most important monuments and structures. From the Colosseum, where we’ll try to imagine the bloody spectacle of gladiator competition, to the Roman Forum, which once housed the ancient city’s bustling center and main marketplace.
We’ll spend the afternoon taking in all this ancient city has to offer: we’ll climb the Spanish Steps and visit the chapel where the original Mater Admirabilis fresco is housed, marvel at the Pantheon, and toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain to ensure our return to Rome!
After a full day of exploring, we’ll enjoy dinner and an evening photo session in Piazza Navona.
DAY 8: VISIT THE VATICAN
After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll cross the Tiber to Vatican City and marvel at the massive basilica dedicated to St. Peter. We’ll lose ourselves in the Vatican’s extensive collection of artistic masterpieces from the ancient world to the present day, culminating with a look at Michelangelo’s elaborate ceiling frescos in the Sistine Chapel.
We’ll enjoy a lunch of pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice), a Roman Favorite. After some time to relax and refresh at the hotel, we’ll head slightly off the beaten path to Trastevere, one of Rome’s hippest neighborhoods! We’ll visit the Basilica di Santa Maria and take some final night photos before our fancy final night dinner. Of course, we’ll end our Italian holiday with some more gelato as we reminisce on all of the memories we have made.
DAY 9: RETURN HOME
We’ll have one last breakfast at the hotel before boarding our private coach to the Rome airport for our flight back to the USA, marking the end of our adventure in Italy. Welcome home!
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Frequently Asked Question
Who is Travel For Teens?
We are in our 21st year in the teen travel business and have emerged as the industry leader for teen travel in the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. We operate over 100 programs in 47 countries on 6 continents.
Our philosophy: We offer genuine and authentic trips for travelers, not tourists.
Our goal is to engender a passion for learning about other cultures and places through living like a local in that place.
How much is tuition & what does tuition include?
Tuition for the trip is $4,595 which INCLUDES round-trip airfare to Italy, all breakfasts and dinners, accommodations, transportation, entrance to museums/events, taxes, and tips.
Tuition does NOT INCLUDE lunches and meals not listed in the itinerary, COVID-related expenses (PPE equipment, testing), beverages other than filtered water at meals, laundry, souvenirs, shopping, visas and visa application fees, personal and medical expenses, activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary, excess baggage fees, damage to hotels, expenses related to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. transportation delays or natural disasters).
Tuition for the trip is $4,595 which INCLUDES round-trip airfare to Italy, all breakfasts and dinners, accommodations, transportation, entrance to museums/events, taxes, and tips.
Tuition does NOT INCLUDE lunches and meals not listed in the itinerary, COVID-related expenses (PPE equipment, testing), beverages other than filtered water at meals, laundry, souvenirs, shopping, visas and visa application fees, personal and medical expenses, activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary, excess baggage fees, damage to hotels, expenses related to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. transportation delays or natural disasters).
If I cannot afford the payment schedule listed above, does Travel For Teens provide flexible payment plans?
Yes, Travel For Teens is willing to customize a payment plan for any participant who needs a little flexibility in the payment schedule. Please email help@travelforteens.com for details on payment plans.
How much is trip cancellation insurance?
Trip cancellation insurance will be mandatory for all participants and is not included in your deposit payment. We feel that this gives everyone more peace of mind in case of unforeseen events. The trip cancellation insurance, if purchased directly from Travel For Teens, is $290 for the standard plan. You may also choose to purchase a more comprehensive cancel-for-any-reason insurance. The cost of the premium insurance for your trip is $431.
All paying participants (i.e. students/parents) will need to provide proof of an independently-purchased policy if not purchasing the plan offered by Travel For Teens.
For more information on insurance, please see this page.
Trip cancellation insurance will be mandatory for all participants and is not included in your deposit payment. We feel that this gives everyone more peace of mind in case of unforeseen events. The trip cancellation insurance, if purchased directly from Travel For Teens, is $290 for the standard plan. You may also choose to purchase a more comprehensive cancel-for-any-reason insurance. The cost of the premium insurance for your trip is $431.
All paying participants (i.e. students/parents) will need to provide proof of an independently-purchased policy if not purchasing the plan offered by Travel For Teens.
For more information on insurance, please see this page.
Who can go on this trip?
The trip is open to all grade students at SHA Bryn Mawr. Space is limited and is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The trip is open to all grade students at SHA Bryn Mawr. Space is limited and is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
After I register, what happens next?
Once you have completed your registration and paid your deposit, you will receive an email that contains your USERNAME and PASSWORD to MyTFT. All forms to be completed by parents and physician as well as packing lists, travel tips, travel insurance information, and other important information can be found on the MyTFT portal (hard copies of the essential legal/medical forms can be mailed to participants upon request). Our contract and release must be signed by all custodial parents (or guardians) and the participant.
Where do we stay?
We will be staying in three-star hotels throughout the program. The names of the accommodations are available to all families once they have signed up.
Single rooms can be requested and will cost $650 additional per person per single.
Note: singles must be requested at the time of registration to be guaranteed.
We will be staying in three-star hotels throughout the program. The names of the accommodations are available to all families once they have signed up.
Single rooms can be requested and will cost $650 additional per person per single.
Note: singles must be requested at the time of registration to be guaranteed.
Trip Emails & Photographs
PHOTOGRAPHS
We will take dozens, if not hundreds, of photos each day. The best photos will be posted as regularly as possible (ideally every day) to a private photo-sharing platform (Waldo Photos) where you can follow along with the trip. We will send you an email to alert you when we post new photos. Low-resolution photos can be viewed for free during and after the trip. All of your High-Resolution matched photos can be purchased and downloaded in real-time during the trip or after the trip for $50.
EMAILS
The Trip Director will be in regular email contact every 24-48 hours, internet willing, with our families. Emails will include fun detailed updates about the day’s activities and are a great way for families to follow along with the journey. Email will be the best way to communicate messages to the Trip Director.
Safety, Sickness & Communication
SAFETY AND SICKNESS
The safety of our participants is our #1 concern, which is why we have only experienced trip leaders running the show. We offer 24/7 communication throughout our programs and have detailed risk management and safety policies in place. Please review our policies here.
For information regarding our specific policies with Covid-19 please review our Covid-19 protocols page here.
What are the safety qualifications for our staff?
Our staff members undergo a rigorous hiring process. They receive the same background check as school educators, an extensive training process to go over all safety precautions and protocols, and are required to be certified in CPR and First Aid. We exclusively hire responsible, multi-talented individuals who are safety-minded and are as passionate about teen travel as we are.
What is the food like on a TFT program? Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?
In a word – delicious! At TFT, we believe food should be an integral part of the travel experience and always make an effort to eat at authentic establishments when we can. What better way to immerse yourself in the culture of a place than by sampling the local delicacies, and we encourage students to do so whenever possible! Just as we stay away from Americanized hotel chains, we try to avoid restaurants with menus that cater only to tourists because every good traveler knows the best food is found wherever the locals are eating!
We also love to have picnics al fresco and do this whenever possible, which is a great way to taste some local food while sitting out in the fresh air taking in the sights and sounds of our surroundings.
As always, we are willing and able to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, gluten allergies, and other dietary restrictions.
Do I need to speak the language?
No, our skilled staff members will help you get around and even teach you a few fun phrases!
Are participants allowed to have their cell phones on the program?
We do allow participants to bring their phones, but we ask that they use it solely as a camera when we are out and about during the day. We want everyone to focus on living in the moment and fully experience each new destination we are visiting without being absorbed in their phones. We ask that participants look at their journey with us as a way to disconnect. When we have downtime at our hotels in the evenings it is okay for participants to use their devices to connect with friends and family back home.